(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a new pharmaceutical use for cinnamamide derivatives and more particularly to use of cinnamamide derivatives for centrally relaxing muscle tone.
(2) Prior Art
The cinnamamide derivatives of the present invention have not been reported except that (E)-N-cyclopropyl-3-(3-chlorophenyl)-2-butenamide has disclosed as showing sedative or taming action in J. Med. Chem., vol. 9 (No. 5), page 675-681 (1966). The drugs showing the sedative or taming action lower the abnormally high psychic state of the upper central nervous system or depress the hyperemotion. On the contrary, the muscle relaxant normalizes the disorder of motor nervous system. Therefore, these two pharmacological actions are different apparently each other. Accordingly, it has heretofore been realized that the muscle relaxant is different from the sedative agent in the object of the use.
Furthermore, there are known other cinnamamide derivatives having the muscle relaxing activity, of which a typical compound is cinflumide that has the most preferred effect (Japanese Patent Publication No. 60-56700).
As a result of the earnest researches, the present inventors have found some cinnamamide derivatives to have much stronger and prolonged centrally-acting muscle relaxation activity, and have accomplished the present invention.